The invention relates to a display device for runflat tires.
In commonly owned co-pending applications Ser. No. 08/391,746, filed Feb. 21, 1995; Ser. No. 08/865,490, filed May 29, 1997; Ser. No. 08/865,449, filed May 29, 1997; Ser. No. 08/865,489, filed May 29, 1997; and Ser. No. 08/865,448, filed May 29, 1997, a runflat tire having sidewall inserts is described. The sidewall inserts in the tire provide support for the tire when air is removed. This support prevents the tire from collapsing, or going flat, when a catastrophic air loss occurs. To illustrate the ability of the tire to support the load when a catastrophic air loss occurs, a device is needed by which one can observe the difference between a conventional tire and the runflat tire.
An apparatus for dynamically illustrating tire properties comprises. a) an expandable base in contact with the floor and capable of holding at least one display tire, b) a support connected to the expandable base having a distal end substantially vertically above the base, and c) a display attached to the distal end of the support wherein the display comprises a plurality of tire sections and each tire section has compression means associated therewith for compressing the tire section. The expandable base is constructed in sections of structural material which is sized such that the structural material of one section overlaps and is slideable with respect to the structural material of another section.
In an illustrated embodiment, the display comprises a transparent case having a bottom attached to the support, sides extending upward from said bottom, a lid encompassing the sides, and the compression means comprise shafts extending through the lid and contacting the tire sections wherein the shafts are slideable with respect to the lid. The tire sections in the display comprise at least one conventional tire cross section and at least one tire section of a runflat tire.
Definitions
xe2x80x9cRunflatxe2x80x9d refers to a tire that maintains its shape and function when the air cushion contained in a pneumatic tire is lost.